ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH

What ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH does

ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH (OBS) is the Austrian statutory service entity responsible for collecting the ORF-Beitrag — the mandatory public broadcasting contribution payable per residential address in Austria under the ORF-Beitrags-Gesetz — on behalf of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF). The contribution is triggered automatically whenever at least one adult (18+) is registered with a Hauptwohnsitz (primary residence) at an Austrian address, with residence data received directly from the Zentrales Melderegister (ZMR) so that no citizen registration is required. OBS serves as the sole government-authorized collector and exemption administrator, and since April 2026 has also served as the central interface between Austrian households and electricity suppliers for the Strom-Sozialtarif (capped social electricity tariff) under the Elektrizitätswirtschaftsgesetz (ElWG) and as the calculating body for income-based energy poverty assessments under the Energiearmuts-Definitions-Gesetz (EnDG).

The company's service portfolio comprises the core ORF-Beitrag collection and payment processing, an online Befreiungsrechner (exemption calculator), exemption and subsidy processing, residence data management tied to the ZMR, contact and support services, and the two April 2026 additions — Strom-Sozialtarif administration and Energiearmuts income assessment. Distribution is direct-to-citizen through the OBS.at website (offered in 10 languages plus Easy Language / Leichter Lesen), a telephone helpline (05 0200 800, Monday–Friday 07:00–19:00), and written correspondence. The company operates from a single Vienna headquarters, is structured as a private GmbH, and provides all services free of charge to citizens.

OBS has no disclosed proprietary technology platform, no disclosed revenue or headcount, no parent company, no leadership team disclosed, and no commercial go-to-market motion. Its revenue mechanics are administrative: it collects the ORF-Beitrag on behalf of ORF and, since April 2026, performs eligibility confirmations and income assessments that flow into energy poverty and social electricity subsidy programs delivered by electricity suppliers and Förderabwicklungsstellen. The competitive structure is a regulated monopoly — no alternative commercial service exists for ORF-Beitrag collection — making OBS a statutory cost-recovery administrative entity rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH

Legal name

ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH

Website

https://beitrag.at

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH (OBS) is the Austrian statutory entity that collects the mandatory ORF broadcasting contribution from all qualifying households nationwide and, since April 2026, administers the Strom-Sozialtarif social electricity tariff and energy poverty income assessments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. ORF-Beitrag collection: Mandatory broadcast contribution levied per address in Austria under the ORF-Beitrags-Gesetz. Revenue is collected by OBS on behalf of ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation). The fee is not a commercial product transaction but a statutory levy. OBS also administers exemptions, subsidies, and since April 2026, acts as the central interface between citizens and electricity suppliers for the Strom-Sozialtarif.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH (OBS) administers the mandatory ORF broadcast contribution (ORF-Beitrag) levied per address in Austria under the ORF-Beitrags-Gesetz whenever at least one adult (18+) is registered at a primary residence (Hauptwohnsitz). OBS also processes exemption and subsidy applications, manages residence data exchange with the Zentrales Melderegister (ZMR), and since April 2026 serves as the central interface between citizens and electricity suppliers for the Strom-Sozialtarif (social electricity tariff) and calculates income assessments under the Energiearmuts-Definitions-Gesetz (EnDG) for energy poverty support.

Product overview

ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH (OBS) operates a single integrated service platform for the administration of Austria's ORF contribution (public broadcasting fee). Rather than a software product portfolio, OBS offers a suite of interconnected administrative services: the core ORF-Beitrag collection and payment processing, complemented by exemption and subsidy services (Befreiung & Zuschuss) with an online eligibility calculator, data and residence management tied to the national Central Registration Register (ZMR), and expanded services launched in April 2026 including the Strom-Sozialtarif (social electricity tariff) administration and energy poverty income calculations under the EnDG. All OBS services are provided free of charge to citizens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ORF-Beitrag (Broadcast Contribution Collection) Statutory collection and administration of the ORF broadcast contribution (ORF-Beitrag) per residential address in Austria. Mandatory fee under the ORF-Beitrags-Gesetz, payable by all households with at least one adult registered at a primary residence. Administered on behalf of ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation).
• Befreiung & Zuschuss (Exemption & Subsidy Services) Processing of ORF contribution exemption applications and subsidy requests for qualifying Austrian households, including required documentation and eligibility determinations. Includes an online Befreiungsrechner (exemption calculator).
• Strom-Sozialtarif (Social Electricity Tariff Administration) Administration of the Strom-Sozialtarif, a capped social electricity price introduced under the Elektrizitätswirtschaftsgesetz (ElWG) effective 1 April 2026 for Austrian households with an active ORF-Beitrag exemption. OBS acts as the central interface between eligible citizens and electricity suppliers, including collection of Zählpunktnummer (metering point numbers).
• Energiearmuts-Definitions-Service (Energy Poverty Income Assessment) Income assessment service under the Energiearmuts-Definitions-Gesetz (EnDG) effective April 2026. OBS calculates household income for energy poverty relief eligibility upon application and issues official decisions (Bescheide) to be presented to funding administration agencies for support against energy poverty and climate-relevant investment subsidies.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Strom-Lieferanten (Electricity Suppliers)coreOthers · 1 April 2026OBS serves as the central interface between Austrian citizens and electricity suppliers for the Strom-Sozialtarif (social electricity tariff) introduced on 1 April 2026. Households with valid ORF-Beitrag exemptions automatically qualify for the capped electricity price under the Elektrizitätswirtschaftsgesetz (ElWG). OBS coordinates the eligibility confirmation process with electricity suppliers.
• Förderabwicklungsstellen (Funding Administration Agencies)coreOthers · 1 April 2026Under the Energiearmuts-Definitions-Gesetz (EnDG), OBS calculates income assessments for support-worthy households and issues official determinations. These Bescheide (decisions) are submitted to funding administration agencies for processing energy poverty support and climate-relevant investment subsidies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation): UK public broadcaster funded through the TV license fee, a comparable per-address statutory levy. While BBC is both broadcaster and collector, the underlying fee-collection mandate and household-billing model are structurally similar.

Direct peers

• SRG SSR: Swiss public broadcasting corporation funded via Serafe-collected household fees. Operates a similar per-household statutory levy with household billing and exemption administration.
• NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting): Dutch public broadcaster historically funded through the system of 'omroepbijdrage' (broadcasting contribution), with analogous household-based fee collection and administrative structure.
• GEZ (legacy) / Beitragsservice: The German public broadcasting fee collection entity, providing a near-identical operating model: per-address levy, automatic municipal registration data integration, and household exemption administration.
• Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio: The German equivalent that collects the Rundfunkbeitrag, a per-address public broadcasting fee. Operates under a comparable statutory mandate with automatic data integration from municipal registration offices, making it the closest structural analogue to OBS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ORF-Beitrags Service GmbH